Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-13

The Educational Value of Manual Training
Should 10 be Given Prominent
Place.
Are Teachers Usually Governed by Mer
oenary Motives? Errors in Teach
ing Arithmetic.
MANrAL TRAINING.

MANUAL TRAINING.
To form Just estimate on the part
played by free schools in shaping our
institutions and giving bent to om
national life would not be easy; but
surely no other one step in the de.
yelopment and application Of our
educational system has been so i'm.
portant, or given promise of such far
reaching results, as the introduction
Of manual training. The ultra
utilitaran and the educational theorist
alike contend for it; each claims it as
"practicap education The natural
propensities of youth crave it; the
material character of the age and our
rapidly developing country combine
TO favor it; and it is not improbable
that our entire system Of public educa-
ton is about to be remodelcd to give
manual training prominent place.
This idea has been variously
borrowed from Japan, Russia, and
Germany, the schools have long since
been established in those countries.
Many will remember the work on ex-
hibition at the Centennial Exposition,
some of which was done by very Young
children; its finish was such as to give
evidence of education both of mind
and body. This gained the attention
of the educators in this country and
the idea has been growing ever since.
Schools have been opened in Chicago,
St Louis, and in other cities, mostly,
however, by the aid of privately sub
scribed funds. 1t has remained for
Philadelphia to take the lead in en-
grating this work upon the existing
system, and in demonstrating the
worth and feasibility of the
change. 1t is in this combination
of mental and manual work, more
over, that the difference between man
ual training aad industrial education
consists.
TO one who is quite innocent of any
knowledge of pedagogics it is obvious
that this training makes boy 'handy";
tnat he is doing apprentice work while
at school. This is its practical side;
and it is not without value. There is,
however, larger truth and higher
value seen by the professional educator.
Manual training is but continuance
of what is best in the work and
methods of the so-called kindergarten.
The idea is Froebel's. However, in.
stead Of merely studying the object or
model, a similar one is actually con-
suuctGd. Hence il has been called
the creative method, as taking the
mind a step farther than the object
method. Necessarily the faculties are
brought into beener play when Great
inc or shaping some Obiect-a block,
4 Joint, work in iron or brass than
wuen passivcly viewing if. The under
standing of the component parts and
their relations will also be clearer,
and such training cannot but induce
! Independence of thought action, and
! Judgment in every kind of iuycstiga.
! ton. Herein is the real educational
value of the system-a value that would
ensure its propagation and final adop-
| ton even though it made neither ear
| pcntcr nor blacksmith. The hand and
| Che eve are the natural educators of the
| brain; and it has been observed that
boys studying the classics are benefited
| by such exercise no less than those
| destined To trade. Besides the
| stimulus thus given to the brain of the
| future lawyer and editor. nerve and
! deNtrrjty are secured to the future
surgcon and dentist and thus is
! reached true education, the harmonic
Gus development of facilities and
powers. hi, educational value was
recognized by the Jews in the require
mcnt that every boy should learn some
useful trade.
| Already the movement Is attracting
/ widespread attention Governor Hill,
Of New York hats urged It's general
adoption by the STATEN two successive
messages, while Florida and California
are being awakened to its importance
by their executives Many cities are
! providing il, aud private schools are
adding il to their courses. IL has re-
1 manned for Philadelphia, under the
lead of her wcllknown Superintendent
of Public instruction, James Mac
Alistcr, to first accept the new order
OF things. and the school mt Seven
tccnth and Wood streets has visitor:
from all parts of the county. Her,
mental and manual training 90 hanc
in hand. Other schools are already
thought of and it is not unlikely thai
the result will Ice "a modification of ON
entire educational system -J00rHa
| II EdJtcHttoH